Most Muslims are familiar
with the various reasons that Allah has required women to wear hijab:
The hijab reflects modesty, purity and respect; it lessens temptation
so that more serious sins will be avoided; it protects women from
the harm and molestation of evil men; a woman who wears hijab will
be evaluated for her intelligence and skills rather than her appearance.

One important aspect that is often
overlooked, however, is that the hijab is a symbol of Muslim identity.
A woman who covers her head is making a statement that she is a member
of the Muslim community and that she follows a particular code of moral
conduct.

Allah says: "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters
and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them.
That is more suitable that they will be known (as Muslims and chaste believing
women) and not be abused." [Qur'an,
33:59]

"...that they
will be known..." In America,
where Islam is the fastest growing religion (alhumdullilah), many people
are coming to know what this head covering really signifies and to understand
the religion that mandates it. The hijab, in effect, is an amazingly
powerful tool for dawah; one that Muslims themselves are probably
not even aware of. As with any tool, the key for effectiveness is
appropriate and knowledgeable use.

The most obvious first step would
be for Muslim women to actually wear the hijab. It is a tragic and
upsetting phenomenon to see so many Muslims dressing in the manner of the
disbelievers (blue jeans, T-shirts, short skirts, even shorts). The
Prophet, sallalahu allahe wa salam, said; "Whoever
resembles a people is one of them."
(Abu Dawood). This is not only happening in America and other Western
countries as people attempt to assimilate and adopt the practices of the
prevailing culture, but it is also occurring in Muslim countries at an
alarming rate.

A woman who refuses to wear the hijab
is disobeying Allah and committing a serious sin, putting worldly pleasures
above spiritual attainment, and neglecting her duty to the religion of
Islam. Many scholars agree that the only reason a Muslim may live
in a non-Muslim country is to conduct dawah and bring people to the true
religion. How can a woman perform dawah for Islam when she is not
even practicing it herself? To do this would be a form of hypocrisy
and it will not be successful.

Once a woman begins to wear hijab
she completes a large portion of her responsibility for dawah with very
little effort. Each time that she goes to the grocery store, the
library, to work, to school, or to any other public place, she is spreading
the magnificent message of Islam. This is not only because of the
outer hijab that she wears, but more importantly, the modesty of her behavior
that accompanies it. When a woman refrains from flirting with men,
limits physical contact, and is reserved and respectful, people may become
curious and want to learn more about this intriguing faith. It may
just sow the seeds of something wonderful.

At the University where I teach
(which happens to be a private, Catholic school), women are often interested
in my manner of dress and demeanor. Each semester I have at least
one student who requests my involvement in a project for another class,
usually comparative religions. They are surprised when they learn
the rationale for this injunction and the fact that it was part of their
religious heritage as well. If I chose not to wear hijab, I would
miss these wonderful opportunities to share the beauty, peace and universality
of my faith.

When there is the possibility for
further discussion with those who are interested, knowledge and understanding
of the topic are imperative. A very effective technique is to relate
the concept to something that is familiar to the other person. Some
examples of questions that could be posed include:

"Did you every wonder why Mary, the
mother Jesus (alayhes salam) wore clothing very similar to that of Muslims?"

"Why do Catholic nuns dress the way
they do?"

"Did you know that in the Canon laws
of the Catholic church today there is a law that requires women to cover
their heads in church?"

"Have you read in I Corinthians (Bible,
11:3-10) the verses that Paul wrote: 'Every
man who prays of prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
And evey woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors
her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman
doesn't cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is
a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should
cover her head."

"Did you know that there are some Christian
denominations, namely the Amish and the Mennonites, who still require women
to wear the head covering?"

"Were you aware that is was the custom
of Jewish women to go out in public with a head covering and that some
denominations still practice this today?"

These discussion points demonstrate
the obvious fact that the head cover was not introduced by Islam,
but rather that this requirement has been in place for thousands of years.
This can also be a cogent segue to more crucial topics such as the fact
that Moses, alayhes salam, Jesus, alayhes salam and Muhammad, sallalahu
allahe wa salam, were all prophets of the same God and that they each carried
the same basic message. Islam corrected the errors that had been
introduced into previous revelations by humans and completed the process
that was planned by Allah.

We should be proud to be Muslim.
We should also be grateful for the gift that Allah has given to each one
of us: The perfect truth of Islam that is our key to paradise.
All others are being deluded by Satan and following paths to destruction.
With our gift comes the responsibility to share the truth with those who
are less fortunate. We are all responsible to carry the light of
Islam. The hijab is an outward manifestation of this light that burns
within, and it can be an effective tool for fulfillment of our obligation.
We choose whether to develop this light into a bright, radiant star or
let it be extinguished by foolish and selfish desires. May Allah
guide each of us to the true path.